Mechanical movement for electrical switches and similar devices.



'6. HI MORSE. I MECHANICAL MOVEMENT FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND SIMILARDEVICES.

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APPLICATION FILED APR. 5,1914. RENEWED DEC. 8,19I5- Patented Jan. 25,1916. v

) INVENTOR George H Morse.

ATTORNEY Movements for pivirnn smarts PATENT orrron GEORGE H. MORSE, OFWHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO MUTUAL ELECTRIC AND MACHINECOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEQT VIRGINIA.

MECHANICAL MOVEMENT FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHES AND SIMILAR DEVICES;

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Specification of Letters Patent.

ltatented Jan. 25, 11916.

Application filed April 6, 1914, Serial No. 829,855. Renewed December 8,1915. Serial No. 65,854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. Monsn, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of WestVirginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mechanical IElectrical Switches and Similar Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

My inventlon relates to mechanical movements for electrical switches ofthe rotary quick-acting or snap type and for other devices of a similarnature, and it has for its object to provide a simple and economicalmechanical movement of this character,-

which-may be operated by turning a button or handle in either direction,if desired, and in which the parts are locked in position and arepermitted to rotate only when the actuating button is turned by anoperator.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 ofwhich is a plan view of a switch with the cover and operating buttonremoved; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the switch on theline 11-11 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, on the lineIIIIII of Fig. 2, the parts being viewed from the bottom of the switch;Fig. el is a plan view, similar to Fig. 1 but with the switch parts inthe positions which they occupy just previous to their operation toeffect a change in the position of the contact members; Fig. 5 is a planview of one of the cam plates of the switch, and Fig. 6 is a plan viewof modified forms of cam plates that are employed when the switch isadapted for rotation in -one direction only.

The switch comprises an insulating base 1 from the front face of whichproject three posts or stops 2, 3 and at, and also three pairs of switchjaws 5, 6 and 7 that constitute the terminals of any suitable electricalsystem or circuit in connection with which the switch isemployed, theconnections to the tern'iinals being made upon the rear face of theinsulating base which is recessed for the reception thereof.

A rotatable post or shaft 8 projects from substantially the center ofthe front face of the insulating base, andis provided upon its outer endwith a button 9 for effecting its rotation. A substantially U-shaped arm10 extends transversely through, and is carried by, the shaft or post 8,one end of the arm projecting between and being adapted to engage thecrossed end portions of a helical spring 11 that surrounds the shaft orpost 8. Also extending between the ends of the helical spring 11 is apost or stop 12 that is carried by an insulating block or disk 13 thatis mounted upon, but freely rotatable with'respect to,,the shaft 8, abushing 1i surrounding the shaft being employed for the purpose of.properly spacing the insulating block 13 from the base 1. Secured uponthe rear or bottom face of the insulatin'g block 13-isa conductingannular strip l5-having downwardly turned lips 16 that are adapted topass between, and to engage the jaws of, the terminal members 5, 6 and7, the said lips being spaced apart sufii- .Mount'ed upon the upper orfront face of the insulating block 13, and retained in position thereonby means of a shoulder 19 upon the shaft 8, are two similar butoppositely or reversely arranged cam disks 20 and 21 which are shownmore completely in Fig. 5. The cam plates are provided upon their outeredges with shoulders 22 that are adapted to engage the posts or stops 2,3 and 4, the shoulders of the two plates engaging respectively uponopposite sides ofthe said posts when the switch is sta tionary. Slots 23are also provided in the outer peripheries of the cam plates to receivethe post 12 whereby the said plates are caused to rotat -:imultaneouslywith the insulating block 3;; and are permitted to move transversely ithrespect thereto. The cam plates are also provided with central slots 24extending in the same direction as the slots 23, and the shaft 8projects there.-

parallel, and are adapted to be engaged by the end of the arm 10 for thepurpose of effecting transverse movements of the plates. By reason ofthe fact that the faces 25 and 26 are not in aliuement, they are engagedin succession by the arm 10 when the button 9 is turned, and,consequently,1the cam plates are moved in succession so as to disengagethe-shoulders 22vfrom the osts 2,3- and 4, the first plate to be movedbeing that, the shoulder of which is upon the front side of the postwith respect to the direction of The cut-away portions of. the platesare also so shaped as to provide faces rotation.

27 that engage the arm '10 when the said plates are rotated followingthe movement of the said arm, the plates being thereby movedtransversely and in succession so that the shoulders 22 thereon willengage that:

one of the posts 2, 3 and 4: toward which the switch is rotated for thepurpose of thereby stopping the movement of the switch and of'locking itin position, the last plate retracted being the first to make thereturnmovement.

In the operation of the switch, the button 9 may be turned in eitherdirection, and,

when this is done, the spring'll is sub jected to strain,therebyapplying resilient pressure upon the post 12tending to rotate theinsulating block 13 and the parts carried thereby. When the button 9 hasbeen rotated through an angle of substantially, 90 degrees, the longerend of the arm 10 engages the face 25 of one of the cam plates 20 and21,- and, upon continued rotation of the button, the arm 10 first causesthe shoulder 22 of one of the cam plates to disengage that one of theposts 23-4= with which it was previously in engagement, and, upon stillfurther rotation, the arm 10 engages the face 26 of the other cam plateand, in turn, causes the shoulder 22 upon the said cam plate todisengage the stationary post. Insulating block 13 is then drivenforward by the strain-of the spring 11, and the faces 27 of the camplates successively'engage the longer end of the arm 10 and the platesare case the annular cut-away portions of the plates are only about halfas long as in the preceding figures, that 1n one platerbeing v similarin shape to one end of the cut-away portion of the plates of thepreceding figures and that in the other plate being similar to-the otherend thereof.

While the present invention is shown as applied to an electrical switch,it is to be understood that it may be employed wherever its functionsmay be advantaspirit and scope of theinvention.

geously utilized without departing from the- I claim as my invention:

1. mechanical movement comprising a 1 plurahty of stationary stops, amanually rotatable member provided with an arm, a driven member providedwith a post, resilient. means interposed between'the arm and. said postupon the driven member that is subjected to strain when the manuallyrotatable member is. rotated, and similar oppositely arranged cam platesrotatable with the driven member and having opposing shoulders upontheir outer edges adapted to. engage the stationary stops upon oppositesides thereof and faces adapted to be engaged by the arm carried by themanual rotatable member whereby the shoulders upon said plates aredisengaged from the stationary stops and are caused to reengage themupon rotation of the drivenmember.

2. A mechanical movement comprising a plurality of stationary stops, amanually rotatable member provided with an arm, a driven member,resilient means interposed between the said members that is subjected tostrain when the manually rotatable inember is rotated, and cam platesrotatable with the driven member and having opposing shoulders adaptedto engage the stationary stops upon opposite sides thereof and facesadapted to be engaged by the arm carried by the manually rotatablemember whereby the shoulders upon said plates are disengaged from thestationary stops and are caused to rengage them upon the rotation of thedriven member.

3. A mechanical movement comprising a "plurality of stationary stops, amanually rotatable member provided with an arm, a driven member,resilient means interposed betweenthe said members that is subjected tostrain when'thel manually rotatable member is rotated in eitherdirection, and cam plates rotatable with the driven member and havingopposing shoulders adapted to enga e the stationary} stops upon 0 ositesides thgreof and faces adapted to be dhgaged by the arm carried by themanually rotatable member whereby the shoulders,, upon said plates aredisengaged fromtheggstationary stops and are caused toxreengage themupon the rotation of the driven member.

4. A mechanical movement comprising a plurality. of stationary stops, amanually rotatable member providedwith an arm, a. driven member,resilient means interposed between the said members that is subjected tostrain when the manually rotatable member is rotated, and cam platesrotatable with the driven member and having opposing shoulders adaptedto engage the stationary stops upon opposite sides thereof, facesadapted to be engaged in succession by the arm carried by the manuallyrotatable member to cause the said shoulders to disengage the saidstops, and cam faces also adapted lac ' between the'said members that issubjected meaeaa to be engaged by the said arm whereby the saldshouldersare caused to reengage the said stops upon rotation of the drivenmember. .7

5. A mechanical movement comprising a plurality of stationary stops, amanually rotatable member provided with an arm, a driven member,resilient means interposed to strain when the manually rotatable mem theshoulders upon the said plates are disengaged in succession from thestationary stops and are caused to rengage them upon rotation of thedriven member.

6. A mechanical movement comprising a plurality of stationary stops, amanually rotatable member provided with an arm, a

driven member, resilient means interposed between the said members thatissubjected.

to strain when the manually rotatable member is rotated, and cam platesrotatable with the driven member and having opposing Gopieaoi thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the"Commissioner of Patents,

shoulders adapted to engage the stationary stops upon opposite sidesthereof and faces adapted (to be engaged by the arm carried by themanually rotatable member whereby the shoulders upon the said plates aredisengaged in succession from the stationary stops andare caused toreengage them in succession and in the reverse order upon rotation ofthe driven member.

7. A mechanical movement comprising a rotatable supporting member, apair of superposed cam plates carried by said member and movabletransversely thereof, an actuating member for the cam plates, meanswhereby the actuating member may apply a torque to the supportingmember, and

means cooperating with the cam plates to stop the movements of thesupportlng memit in predetermined posi her and to lock tions.

.In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st dayof March, .1914. i

GEORGE H. Moasn' Witnesseml A. CAMPBEIL RICHARDS,'

M. J. CULLINAN.

Washington, D. 63.

